Strap edge finishing machine



Sept. 22, 1931. E. 5. MIX

STRAP EDGE FINISHING MACHINE s Sheets-Shet. 1

Filed June 6, 1928 INVENTOR zi cZwz'n S/Vzlz BY 7;:

fiz s ATTORNEY Sept. 22, 1931. E. 5. MIX

STRAP EDGE FINISHING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet, 2

E N R H0 A w A INVENTOR EcZwz'rL \5. Mix BY Sept. 22, 1931. E 5. MIX 1,824,678

STRAP EDGE FINISHING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 k 10 q I E a: X '1 W T 59 5 4 INVENTOR fdwzh mil 721 1; ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1931 aezaeze UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN s. M x, ornocnnsrrnrt, NEwfronK, ssreNoR ,TO nIcKoK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, AooRroRATIoNor NEW YORK smear EDGE FINISHING MACHINE Application filed June s, 1928. Serial No. 223,397.

The present invention relates to strap edge finishing machines, and an object of theinvention isto provide atsimple, inexpensive and effective construction for coloring and ,burnishing the oppositeedges of leather straps such, for instance, asthose employed in making leather belts for personal .Wear. Another object ofthe invention is'to pro vide a novel means for movinga belt as it 10. is being acted upon by a coloringand/orburnishing mechanism- Still another object of the invention is to provide an 1m-.

proved coloring mechanism for coloring the opposite edges of a strip' of material.v 'A

15": further object of the, invention to provide a-novel meansfor burnishing an edge ofa strip of material.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain, parts and combinations 20? of parts, all of which will be hereinafter.

described: the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine con fli structed in accordance with this invention;

Fig.2 1S a fragmentary vlew partially in section illustratlng the inking mechanlsm;

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View in plan illustrating the burnisliing mechanism;

Fig. 4: is a side view of. the machine .with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the intake guiding means on the line 5.5, Fig; 4c; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional .3 view through the burnishing means;-

-Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the machine;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partially in section illustratingthe rear feeding mecha- ;nism;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing the driving mechanism for the kick-off means; a d

Fig. 10 is a detail view showing the driv-' 'il'ingmechanism for the burnishing means.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is employed a bed plate 1' at the forward end of which is a'feedingrtable placed. U 1

2 on which the material to be operated on is Supported at the forward part of the main bed plate 1 is an intake guide forfthe strips to be operated upon", comprising, in:this in stance, a post 3 supporting a 'guidelplate 4c at'its upper end, said guide plate having transverse guide ways-5 in its upper surface receiving strip guiding blocks 6-which; through clamps 7 are held in any desired position: on .the guideplate 4. These stripguiding blocks 6 have their adjacent forward portionbevelled at 8'50. as ea facili-- tate the entrance of the strip intothe guideways .9 formed in the-opposed sides of the blocks'6. v i 5 p 1 '1 After passing from the 1 intake guiding means each strip is engaged by a feeding, mechanism comprising, in this instance, two rollers 10 and 11 arranged one above the other. The roller lOis securedto a shaft 12 which is" supported on the bed plate '1 by 14 also support, above the roller 10, the roll er 11 which has its shaft l7'turning in the movable bearings 18, the roller 11 being nor- I mally held toward the roller 10 by springs 19 pressing against the moving bearings 18.

The rollers 10 and ll may be driven together with adjacent peripheral portions moving in the same directions by .meansof transmission gears 20 and 21 provided respectively on the shafts 12and 17. r

The drivingof the feeding rollerslO and 11, as well asfthe other mechanismstobe hereinafter described, may be effected by an electric motor 22 supported on a motor bed 23 and having a' shaft 24 connected through gearings in the casing 25 to a shaft'26. This shaft 26 whichis supported-by the casing 25 has a gear 27 on the exterior of the cas ing meshing with a gear 28'ion the shaft 12, so as to drive the feed rollers 10. and 11.

From the feed rollers 10 and 11 the strips are fed to another guiding means which in this. instance comprises two guide bars 2-9 and 30, theformer being rigidly supported on two posts 31cm the bed plate 1', and the latter being adjustabletoward and from the guide bar 29. In order to adjust the guide bar 30, the latter may have two internally threaded sleeves 32 projected on its upper side and engaged by externally threaded screws 33 which are rotatably mounted in its supporting member 34, the latter having its forward end secured by a screw 35 to the top piece 16 and being also secured at 36 to atop piece 37 connecting the upper end with two bearings l3 and 14 projected upwardly from the bed plate l'adjacent the rear ends of the guide bars. The guide space between the two guide bars 29 and 30 opens laterally on bothsides through the greater portion of the length of the bar, but near the middle portion of the bars this space is closed preferably by an inverted channel member 39, which straddles the two bars and rests on the upper guide bar 30 being.adjustablelongitudinally of the guide bar 30 through a bolt 40 anchored in the guide bar 30 and extending through a slot 41 in the inverted channel member 39. VViththe end of insuring the passage of the strip from the feeding rollers .10 and 'll to.

the guiding means, the roller 11 is provided with a central peripheral groove 42 and into. this groove extends a stripper 43 from the forward end of the guide member 30.

hile the strip is travelling along the guiding bars 29 and .30 its edges may be subjected to an inking or coloring mecha-' nism. In this instance this inking or coloring mechanism comprises two ink applying rollers 44 and 45 having soft facedperipheries and operating in a single horizontal plane and upon opposite sides of the guiding means, the guiding bars 29 and 30 being recessed at 46 on opposite sides thereof so that the. rollers may move transversely of their axes of rotation and in the plane of the travelling strip in order to exert pressure on the edge of astrip during the application of the ink or coloring matter. So that the rollers may have this relative movement to ward'and from the edges of the strip and may be held with even pressure against the strip, the rollers may be mounted to turn on posts 47 which are supported by blocks 48 arranged on a shaft 49 and held against turning on said shaft by pins 50 projecting upwardly from the bed plate 1 and entering slots-or guides 51 formed in theblocks 48. This arrangement permits the blocks 48 to move longitudinally of the shaft but at the same time it holds the blocks 48 against turning with the shaft 49. The application of the ink or coloring to the ink applying wheels 44 and 45-as well as the driving of said wheels is effected by two discs 52 and 53, thesediscs are mounted onthe shaft 49, being secured to the shaft in such a manner that they will turn with the shaft 49 but may move axially of the shaft. The discs are held with yielding pressure toward the.

wheels 44 and 45 by helical springs 54 which surround the shaft 49 and abut the discs 52 and 53 as well as hearing blocks 55 extending upwardly from the bed plate 1 and serving to support the shaft 49. The driving of the shaft 49 may be effected through a gear 56 on said shaft meshing with a gear 57 on the shaft 12. Each of the discs 52 and I 53 operate in one of two inking or coloring receptacles 58 which are situated beneath the discs 52'and 53.

The ready removal of the coloring recep- 'tacles may be effected by providing pockets or depressions 59 beneath them. Each depression is wide enough to permit the receptacle to be dropped therein and it does not extend to the rear end ofjthe receptacle when the latter is in operative'position so that the rear end rests upon the main surface of the bed plate.

operate with the feeding table 2 tohold the forward end of the receptacle in a raised position. By pulling forwardly on a receptacle, its rear end will slide off the'main surface of the bed plate '1 and drop into. the

pocket or recess 59 so thatits upper edge will be below the lowermost'portion of-the discs 52 or 53. The receptacle may now be removed from the machine without any interference with the operative parts of such a machine.

After the strip passes from the inking mechanism'and while it'is travelling on the guideway 29 or 30, it is operatedfupon'by a burmshmg mechanism which comprises, an

this instance, two rotary burnishing. wheels or members '61 operating in a horizontal plane and also on opposite sides on the guiding means the latter being'cut away at 62 on opposite sides to permit the burnishing membersto engage the strip. Each burnishing member is formed with a peripheral groove 63 the walls of which are toothed or serrated at 64. These teeth have a novel action on the leather and tend to beat the loose fibers into compact relation with the main body of the leather. Any suitable means may be employed for supporting these burnishing wheels or members 61.

In this instance, the two members are s cured each to one of two shafts 65 and 66 which are journalled in swinging blocks 67 and '68 pivoted at 69 and 70 to the bed plate 1. The bed plate is provided with slots 71 and through whichthe shafts 65 and 66 respectively extend and beneath the bed plate, the shafts 65 and 66 are provided with pulleys 7 3 and 74 respectively. These two pulleys 73 and '74 are geared together so that they may rotate in the same direction, in order thatthe adjacent peripheral portions of the two burnishers 61 may move in opposite directions the adjacent peripheral portlon of one roller moving in a direc- At its forward end each receptacle has a leg 60 whichwill cotion opposite to the direction of the move ment of the strap under the'feeding means and the adjacent peripheral of'the other roller moving in the direction of the move- 'ment of the strap but at greater speed than the strap. This is effected by a belt passing about both pulleys 73 and 74 and also about an idler pulley 76; This idler pulley is supported upon a swinging arm 77 acted upon by a spring 78 which causes the idler pulley 76 to act as a tension take-up device and permits the pulleys 73 and 74 to partake of relative movement toward and from each other as well as the yielding movement be tween the burnishers' 61, while at the same time holding the burnishers toward the edges of the strap; A stop 79 in the form of an adjustable'screw may be mounted in the swinging member 67 and be adapted to cooperate with the swinging member 68 to limit'the movement of the burnishers toward each other, the stop being adjustable to accommodate straps of different widths between the 'burnishers 61. An adjustable stop 80 mounted on a post 8-1 on the bed plate 1 limits the movement of the swing ing members 68 away from the strap. The turning of thefburnisherv may be effected through a belt 82 which passes about a pulley 83 on a shaft24off the motor and also about a pulley 84 on the shaft'66. I

After a strappasses fromthe burnishing means, it is a ain subjected to a'feeding'action effected, in this instance, through two rear feeding rolls 1O and'll which are identical in construction with the primary feed-' ing rolls 10 and llhereinbefore described and which are driven in the sanie'manner except that the shaft, 12 of the lower roll connects by a sprocket chain 85 with the shaft 12 oft-he other lower roll 10. These rolls 10 and 11 of the secondary mechanism are supported on the bearings 38 before mentioned to which the bar 34 is secured.

After leaving the secondary feeding rolls, a strap passes to a secondary guide comprising, in this instance, a single post 86 supported on the bed plate 1 andcarrying. a guide piece 87 at its upper end: Abovev this guide piece is a guidepiece 88 which preferably is resilientlysupported and to.

this end has a stem89 projecting upwardly therefrom and provided with a reduced upward extension 90 formed with screw threads 91 at its upper end. This; upward extension may be guided in. a bracket 92 formed integrally with the bar 34,11 spring 93 being positioned about. thereduced portion and abutting the bracket and a nut 94" being arranged on the screw threaded portion 91 so as to adjust theposition of the guide piece 88. The guide piece 88 may have a stripper 95 projecting forwardly therefrom to enter the groove 42 formed in the roll 11 of the secondary feeding device.

While upon this secondary guide 87 and 88, the strap may be subjected to a varnislr ing at its edges and this may be effected through a varnishing mechanism identical with the inking or coloring mechanism here inbefore described, with the exception that for the ink containing receptacle 58 is substituted a single. receptacle 58*, supported on the bed plate 1. This varnishing mech- 96 cooperates with the lower guide member 87 beyond the guide 88 and operates at a higher speed than the roller 11, its operation being preferably effected through a belt 98 which passes about a small pulley'99 on the shaft 17 and about a larger pulley'100 on a shaft 101 of the roller 96.. This roller 96 may be kept in a cleancondition bysa sponge 102 sup'poredj by a swinging frame 103 mounted on the swinging frame 97; The

roller 96 gives to the strap its final kick off so asto project the strap preferably upon the endle'sscarri'er 10% supported in rear of'the bed frame 1 by two pulleys105 and 106. The pulley 106 maybe driven from the motor 22 through a worm wheel 107 meshing with a worm 108 on the shaft 26.

The worm wheel 107 is mounted on a shaft 109 which has a gear 110 thereon meshing with a gear 111 on the shaft of the pulley 106. The speed of the endless carrier or After passing the varnishing mechanism,

belt 104 is such that the straps are delivered I to the belt to lie'inparallel relation thereon out of engagement with each otherso that they may have an opportunity to dry before being brought into contact with each other or being handled.

The :operation of this invention will be understood from the'foregoing but it may be summarized as follows: Straps or belts aredelivered endwise into the intake guides 6 until they are engaged by the primary feeding rollers 11 which then project them between the two guide members 29 and 30 where they are first acted upon by the-primary or a preliminary inking mechanism formed by the two rollers 14 and 45. They straps are then passed tothe burnishing rollers 61 and then to the secondary feedingv rollers .10 and 11 which carrythem to the varnishing mechanism and to the ejecting roller 96 which deposits them upon the endless feed belt 104.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

lib

the other to accommodate straps of different thicknesses.

'1. In a strap edgefinishing machine, an intake guide comprislnga guide plate formed with a guideway extending trans-" versely' of the line of travel of the strap on the guide, two guide blocks having op posed grooved'sides and beveled ends leading .to. said.- grooved'sides, and means for adgustmg the-blocks relatively to each other on the guideway. Y

-2.'In a strap edge finishing machine, a feeding mechanism comprising two spaced pairs of feeding rolls, two guide bars extending between the rolls, and means for adJustmg one of the bars toward and from 3. In a strap edge: finishingmachine, a feeding mechanism comprising two spaced pairs of feeding rolls, two guide bars extending between the rolls, and means for adjusting one of the bars toward and from the other to accommodate straps of different thicknesses, and an inverted channel mem ber straddling one ofsaid' bars and having its sides arranged on opposite sides of the other bars. v

- 4. In a strap edgefinishing machine a base plate, two bearing frames extending: upwardly from the base plate in spaced relation to each other, a pair of rollers mounted on each bearing frame, two strap guiding bars extending between the two pairs of rollers, one of said guide bars belng supported fromthe bed plate, a bar extending between the two bearingframes, and means adjustably' supporting the other guide bar from the connecting bar. V

5. In a strap edge finishing machine, the combination with means for feeding'straps of an inking mechanism for cooperating with the opposite edges of. straps moved by the feeding means, said inking mechanism comprising two inkingrollers cooperating with the opposite edges of the straps, a shaft,

two, ink feeding rollers mounted on said;

shaft and engaging and driving the inking rollers, means for driving the shaft to drive the ink feeding rollers, and means for supplying ink to the ink feeding rollers.

6. In a strap edge finishing machine, the combination with means forfeeding straps, of means for inking an edge of a strap moved by the feeding means comprising an inking roller cooperating with said edge and movable toward and from said edge, an ink feeding roller cooperating with the periphery of the inking' roller and driving said roller, means yieldingly holding the ink feed ingroller in engagement with the feeding. roller to holdthe latter toward the strap edge, means for driving the ink feeding roller and means for supplying the ink with the ink feeding roller. i

7 i In a strap edge finishing machine th combination with means for feeding straps, of an inking roller operating in the plane ofv the strapmovedby the feeding means andihaving its edge cooperating with the edge of the strap, and an ink feeding roller operating in a vertical plane at an angle to the plane of operation of the inking roller and engaged on one side by the periphery of the'inking roller, the periphery of the ink feedingroller being beveled in a directionto conduct surplus ink away from the periphery of the inking roller.

8. In a strap edge finishing machine,.the combination with means for feeding straps,

means for supplying ink to theink feeding roller. Y

9. In a strap edgevfinishing machine, the combination with 'meansfor feeding straps, of a bed on which said feeding means is mounted, having a pocket, an inking roller cooperating with a strap moved by the feeding means, anink feeding roller for the ink: mg roller arranged above the pocket in the 1 bed plate, an ink receptacle supported below the roller and on the bed above the pocket, said receptacle being movable on the bed plate to drop into the pocket so that it may be withdrawn from the bed without interfering with the ink feeding roller.

10. In a strap edge finishing machine, the combination with means for feeding the strap, of two inking rolls mounted to turn about upright axes on opposite sides of the straps fed by the feeding means to cooperate with opposite edges of the straps, a shaft lying to one side of the plane of the straps fed by the feeding means,two supports one for each of the inking rollers movable on v the shaft, means for holding the supports against turning onthe shaft, two ink feeding rollers mounted to turn with the shaft but to move axially thereof, the sides of said ink feeding rollers cooperating with the peripheries of the ink feeding rollers, and

spring means acting on the two ink feeding rollers to holdthe latter in engagement with the inking rollers and the inking rollers in engagement with the opposite edges of the straps. V J

11. In a strap edge finishing machine, the

combination with means for feeding a strap, 7

of guiding means for supporting the opposite faces of said strap, two rotary burnishers for cooperating with opposite edges of the strap fed by the feeding means and while it is supported by the guiding means, means supporting said rotary burnishers so that they will be moved toward and from opposite edges of the belt, and a resilient means acting on said burnisher supporting means to hold the burnisher with yielding pressure toward the opposite edges of the straps. v

12. In a strap edge finishing machine, the combination with means for feeding a strap, of guiding means for supporting the opposite faces of said strap, two rotary bur nishers for cooperating with opposite'edges of the strap fed by the feeding means and while it is supported by the guiding means, means supporting said rotary burnishers so that they will be moved toward and from opposite edges of the belt, and a resilient means acting on said burnisher supporting means to hold the burnishers with yielding pressure toward the opposite edges of the straps, and an adjustable stop carried by one of said supporting means and engaging the other to limit the movement of the bur- 7 nishers toward each other.

1.3. In a strap edge finishing machine, the combination with means for feeding a strap, of two rotary burnishers cooperating with opposite edges of said strap fed by the feed ing means, and means for driving the burnishers so that one has the portion of the periphery engaging the strap moving in the direction of movement of the strap, and the other has that portion of the periphery engaging the strap moving in the direction opposite the movement of the strap, but at a greater speed than the strap.

14. In a strap edge finishing machine, the combination with means for feeding a strap, of two rotary burnishers cooperating with opposite edges of the strap, two movable carriers on which the burnishers turn, two pulleys moving with the carriers, one on the shaft of each of the burnishers, an idler pulley, yielding supporting means for the idler pulley, a belt passed about the pulleys,

and means for driving one of the pulleys to transmit motion to the burnishers.

EDWIN S. MIX. 

